Is Zika Virus in PH? Updates and Zika 101

With reports of an American woman being diagnosed with Zika virus after coming from the Philippines, people are understandably afraid. Zika has been associated with birth defects and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), an uncommon sickness that affects the nervous system. It has also been declared as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organization.

 

AEDES AEGYPTI. The mosquito known to transmit yellow fever is also a known transmitter of Zika virus.

 

According to reports from Inquirer.net, Philstar.com, and CNN Philippines, the non-pregnant US resident was in the country for 4 weeks in January. It was during her last week of stay that she developed symptoms of Zika.

Is it a cause for concern? Perhaps, but the Philippine government tells everyone to stay calm yet vigilant. Within the same reports, Health Secretary Jannette Garin said there is no Zika outbreak in the country. To combat Zika virus, it’s best to arm yourself with knowledge first. Here are a few things you need to know about Zika courtesy of the US Center for Disease Control (CDC):

• What is Zika? Zika virus disease (more commonly known as Zika) is a flavivirus, belonging to the same family as dengue and yellow virus. It is primarily transmitted through Aedes mosquitoes, and was first identified in 1947, named after the Zika forest in Uganda (where it was first discovered).

• People with Zika don’t usually know they have it because they won’t show symptoms of having it. The most common, however, are fever, rashes, joint pain, or conjunctivitis (red eyes), lasting from a few days to a week. Symptoms are usually mild so hospital treatment isn’t necessary.

• This is where things get tricky. In Brazil, the recent Zika outbreak has been associated with microcephaly (infant with abnormally small head) and GBS. While authorities are still trying to establish a link between Zika and GBS, a large body of evidence linking Zika and microcephaly has had people concerned about pregnant women. Pregnant women the world over have been advised to take necessary precautions when travelling.

• Prevention IS the only cure. With no vaccines or treatments available, prevention is your only option. Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when applicable. If you can’t, apply insect repellents as directed. Stay in places with air conditioning or those that have window and door screens.

• What is being done about it? Researchers are already working overtime trying to create a vaccine. Right now, authorities recommend traditional mosquito control techniques such as spraying pesticides and emptying standing water containers where mosquitoes can breed. Another way of stemming the tide is through a genetically-modified species of Aedes aegypti called OX513A (more commonly known as a “mutant mosquito” or “Robo-Frankenstein mosquito”), developed by British company Oxitec.

 

Sources: Manila Bulletin, Center for Disease Control, Inquirer.net, Philstar.com, World Health Organization, CNN Philippines
Photo courtesy of: Muhammad Mahdi Karim via Wikimedia Commons